Kearney Street Café opened about two years ago. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

The manager of Kearney Street Café says the menu is huge and can accommodate any diner. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

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A diner is a diner is a diner. Right? Reader Paul Walker, though, says there’s just something special about the Kearney Street Café. Its great flavors, huge portions and low prices make it a favorite of his.

Paul's Take

Paul lives between Fair Grove and Pleasant Hope, and when he comes into town, he frequents north-side restaurants, mostly, and usually that means the Kearney Street Café. His favorite day to come is Tuesday, as the restaurant offers a 25 percent off senior citizen discount. The portions are so huge that he can eat half of his meal and take the rest home. That means he gets a lot of food for not a lot of cash. “They really cater to seniors,” he says of the restaurant. “They treat us good.”

Paul’s tried many of the sandwiches — he also notes that the restaurant serves breakfast all day — and today he chooses a favorite, the House Sandwich ($4.99). “I need to show you how big it is,” he says. And the impressive part is the low price point. He orders his sandwich with onion rings instead of french fries. “I like the flavor of the pork tenderloin,” he says. Not only that, but he’s more than full after only eating half of the sandwich. The sandwich is simply a fried pork tenderloin “that you can dress up,” as Paul puts it.

Paul gets a cup of gravy to dip his meat in. “I need to quit; I can’t eat anymore,” he says when he’s halfway through. “Look at how much meat is left,” he says.

Paul enjoys his onion rings, too. “I’d even share them with you if you wanted one,” he tells me.

Katie's Take

Well, thank you, kind sir. I think I will have an onion ring or two. First things first, though. All day I’ve been craving a burger. I rarely crave a burger, but knowing I’m going to lunch at a diner gets me thinking about burgers. Now, with diners, I’ve learned the burgers will be either subpar or amazing. There doesn’t seem to be much in between.

The Kearney Street Café is a basic restaurant and looks like a former fast-food establishment. I’ve been on Kearney Street before and never even noticed the restaurant; it just blends in. Though it’s certainly not fast food, the prices reflect what I’d expect to spend on a fast-food meal. I also note that the Kearney Street Café has 10-minute lunch express meals, which must be helpful for folks on their lunch break.

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Paul and I, though, have all the time in the world, so I order a bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on it ($5.29). I’m tempted to get a gyro — I always love a good gyro, and they’re hard to find in Springfield — but I’m still craving a good, juicy burger, and the idea of a fried egg on my burger sounds intriguing. I get my burger with fries, but I pay a bit more to make them Texas-style, which includes bacon and cheese. Why not, right? If I’m going to go all out with a burger, I might as well go all out with the fries, too.

First off, I notice immediately how huge the burger is, and I’m paying what I would at a fast-food restaurant. I cut it in half and know immediately that I’ll be able to take one half home. Kudos to the person who can eat an entire bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on it in one sitting. I slather my burger with mayonnaise, tomato and onion. Though I always get nervous ordering burgers at diners, the Kearney Street Café’s burger satisfies my craving. It’s flavorful, at just the right temperature and loaded with toppings.

I love this burger. It definitely hits the spot. The Texas fries taste about as amazing as anything loaded with bacon and cheese does. Again, I have a lot, so I’m able to take some home.

The Dish, the Restaurant

Julie McCarty, the Kearney Street Café’s front manager, says the restaurant opened two years ago when owner Tony Kadriu wanted to have his own place after working for Ziggie’s. “He decided he was going to have his own store, and he did,” she says.

The restaurant’s success can be attributed to the fact that there aren’t many other sit-down restaurants in the surrounding area. Potential customers have to go to Glenstone or Kansas Expressway to get a sit-down meal. “People don’t even know we’re here, but once they discover us, they’re customers for life,” Julie says. “You don’t have to go to the south side to get a good meal.”

Julie says the menu is huge and can accommodate any diner. Plus, the food comes out to the table quickly. “You can usually get a good lunch in 10 minutes or less. It’s usually pretty quick,” she says. The fried chicken is the only dish that takes a little longer to make it to the table, but Julie says most people are willing to wait, because it’s made in house. “We probably have the best fried chicken around,” she says.

The House Sandwich that Paul enjoys is more meat than bun, Julie says. The tenderloin is breaded in house and made to order. “It’s a really popular lunch special,” she says. Customers can order it with onion rings, fries or even chips that are made in house.

Tony added the bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg because he noticed other restaurants were having success with similar dishes. Julie admits that it’s not her cup of tea, but she says some customers really enjoy the sandwich. “I wasn’t sure about it, but it seems to be a big seller,” she says. The fried egg makes for a richer, more flavorful burger.

The Kearney Street Café was definitely a pleasant surprise. With diners usually being a hit or miss, this is one to put on the hit list and check out. Get the burger. You’ll spend about what you would at a fast-food joint, and you’ll enjoy it so much more.